The field of the invention is inline skate brakes and the invention relates more particularly to inline skate brakes of the type which use a “diabolo.” The term “diabolo” is intended to mean a roller which has two halves and a center portion with a reduced diameter. A typical diabolo used on an inline skate is shown in FIG. 2 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,938,213. As the diabolo is brought into contact with a wheel or two wheels, the two halves of the diabolo, referred to in the '213 patent as disks, move outwardly so that their outer surface rubs against the chassis, causing a braking action.
Another diabolo is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,895,061 which refers to a brake having a pair of disks 9. The disks 9 have a frusto conical face facing the wheels 11 and diabolos are held away from the wheels by a spring 13. When the disks 9 come into contact with the wheel, they are moved apart and pressed against the arms of lever 11. U.S. Pat. No. 5,639,104 shows a skate brake which has a diabolo with frusto conical disks, shown for instance in FIGS. 2, 3, 4, and 5.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,065,761 shows a cylindrical braking wheel which contacts the outer surface of one or more of the wheels of an inline skate.